Angels in the Storm
by My Name Is Nicole
Summary: Beth doesn't die in Grady, but that doesn't mean everything turns to sunshine and roses. Her and Daryl begin exploring their relationship, but will they be able to survive together in a world filled with walking dead? Their lives hang on the edge of a knife, and one wrong step could send them tumbling into the abyss.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - So this is my attempt at a fic where Beth survives. However, I'm still going to try to keep things as realistic as possible within the Walking Dead universe. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Angels in the Storm<strong>

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><p>Beth felt an unfamiliar anger boiling inside of her.<p>

Noah took a few tentative steps towards Dawn, resignation written clearly across his face. "It's okay, Beth," he reassured her. "I'll be alright."

No. No, he wouldn't be alright. She knew what kind of place Grady was. She knew that Dawn would never let him go. Not now, that she had another chance to sink her claws into him.

"I knew you'd be back," Dawn said with a barely concealed smirk.

Noah was a good person. He didn't deserve this. He had come back to rescue her, even though he knew the danger. What kind of person would she be if she just watched as he went back to a life of servitude and slavery?

She was willing to sacrifice herself for him once before. It was as easy decision, to do it again. The cold metal of the scissors dug into her hand, and she felt her resolve harden.

She wasn't weak. She was strong. Strong enough to take down Dawn, to make sure she could never imprison people ever again.

Beth swallowed, and moved forward. She felt Daryl reach for her from behind, but his fingers grasped at nothing but air. Her heart clenched, reminding her of what she was giving up. But her thoughts were too chaotic, and everything was happening so fast, and before she knew it, she was standing right in front of Dawn.

"I get it now," she whispered. And without another thought, she pulled out the scissors and stabbed Dawn right in the eye.

BANG!

Beth collapsed onto the ground. The next few seconds were pandemonium. Gun shots rang out all around her, but then all she could see or hear was white noise. She felt satisfied, at the thought that her death would at least mean something.

"BETH! BETH! Fuck, BETH!"

Someone was shaking her. That was strange. She didn't expect angels to be so rough in heaven.

Then, someone smacked her face, and her eyes flew open.

"Wha... Daryl?"

The next thing she knew, his arms enveloped her into a massive, desperate hug. He didn't say a word, but heavy tears poored down his face and onto her shirt. Tears welled in her eyes, unbidden. She was alive. Holy hell, she was still alive.

And suddenly, the world came rushing back.

Dawn was laying on the ground next to her, dead. She turned around, and saw that all of the cops behind her were dead, too. Tremulously, she turned towards Rick and the group, and saw that there was another body on the ground.

"Tyreese!" she called out. She scrambled out of Daryl's arms, and started crawling towards Tyreese's prone body.

No, this wasn't supposed to happen! It was supposed to be her!

"TYREESE!" she screamed. "TYREESE!"

"It's too late," Rick stated. His eyes were empty, as if he had lost far too much to even register losing somebody else.

Sasha crumpled to the floor next to Tyreese, heaving out gut wrenching sobs. Oh God, what had she done? Beth's head was spinning, and the guilt was overwhelming her, and she couldn't think, she couldn't think!

"It should have been me," she whispered softly.

And then, she knew no more.

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><p>She awoke to the freezing chill of cold water. She looked around, and blearily wondered when they had brought a river into Grady.<p>

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty," she heard from behind her.

She turned around, and could hardly believe her eyes. There was Daryl, standing there, with his angel wing jacket and shaggy hair and that smile that lit up his entire face, and she didn't even try to stop herself from running up to him and flinging her arms around him.

Daryl didn't seem to care one bit that she was soaking wet and looked like hell. He hugged her back, and picked her up and swung her around like a child. They were both laughing, and Beth's eyes filled with tears of joy. She clung to him even more tightly, afraid that if she let go, he might disappear.

"You trying to strangle me or something?" he joked, and she reluctantly slackened her grip.

He reached for her head, and lightly traced his fingers along a fresh gash in her scalp. Beth rightly figured that she had been grazed by a bullet. She flinched, both in pain and at the intimate nature of the contact. She never knew his rough fingers could be so delicate. Vaguely, she prayed that he wouldn't notice the increase in her heart beat, and that he would blame the goosebumps on the wind chilling her in her wet clothes.

He must have realized something, though, because he grunted and put her down, and they broke apart. She stared at him, her eyes memorizing every inch of his features. She noted how his hair had grown longer, and how he had more frown lines than before.

The hair she liked, but the frown lines... well, those would have to go. For now, though, there were more important things to worry about.

"What happened back there?" she asked.

His eyes, so open before, immediately hardened and closed off.

"It was a shit show, is was happened," he said roughly. "What the hell were you thinking? Why did you stab her? Everything was going fine - "

"It was NOT fine!" she argued. "She was gonna take Noah, and none of you were gonna do anything about it! I had to do something!"

"Noah isn't one of us," Daryl argued back. "Nobody was gonna risk their lives for him."

"Exactly," Beth replied. "But he risked his life for me. He was my new group, my new family, and he was there for me after you left and - "

"I didn't leave," Darly hissed. "Fuck Beth, I ran after that car all night, until I couldn't run no more! I ran and I ran, but I got to a crossroads, and there weren't nothing to tell me where they had taken you. But I never stopped looking for you! I never stopped hoping..."

Beth felt her heart give a giant squeeze. Daryl never lied, never stretched the truth. If anything, he was overly critical of himself. So if he said that he ran all night, that probably meant he ran well into the morning.

But that still didn't change the fact that Noah had been there for her after Daryl was gone. And she couldn't quite bring herself to regret what she had done. Except...

"What about Tyreese?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"Dead," Daryl answered simply.

Beth's breath hitched. Christ, she hadn't meant for Tyreese to die. She hadn't even considered the possibility that her actions would put the group in danger. But she couldn't stop the small, dark part of her mind that whispered to her, rejoicing, _at least it wasn't Daryl_.

"I'm so sorry," Beth whispered. "I didn't know..."

"Didn't know what?" Daryl pressed her. "Didn't know he was dead? Didn't know your little stunt could get people hurt? I thought I had taught you better than that. But fuck Beth, it ain't me you need to be apologizing to. Sasha ain't said a word since it happened."

Beth was stunned into silence. He was right, of course. She hadn't been thinking about the safety of Rick and the group. She had been too caught up in the drama of Grady, too determined to save someone, even if she couldn't save herself. But she had lost sight of the bigger picture. And Tyreese was dead because of it.

The growl of a walker jolted her out of her reverie. She spun around, just in time to see an arrow pierce through the skull of a female walker in the forest some twenty feet away. Daryl moved forward and collected his arrow, wrenching it out of the rotten flesh with a sickening squelch.

"C'mon, we should head back to camp," Daryl stated. "It's not safe out here."

"Alright," Beth agreed. Daryl started walking away, and she quickly fell into step beside him. Her clothes were still dripping wet, but complaining about it was the last thing on her mind.

Instead, she fell into a comfortable silence next to Daryl. It was almost like deja vu. They were both wearing the same outfits they had worn all those months ago, when it was just the two of them. They were walking through a stretch of Georgia woods, which to her eyes, all looked exactly the same. She was even injured, just like when she had stepped on that bear trap, and he was still there, ready to protect her if necessary. The only difference was that this time, she could take care of herself, if it came down to it.

She knew he was mad at her, knew that he was frustrated at how she seemingly threw all of her survival training out the window. But she suspected that he was far happier that she was alive and they were finally back together again.

"I missed you," she blurted out impulsively. She felt her cheeks turn pink, and ducked her head under her hair in the hopes that he wouldn't see.

She snuck a glance at him, and saw that he was failing quite spectacularly at hiding his own blush.

"Ain't much to miss," he finally said. But he was grinning, so Beth counted it as a victory.

"Bullshit," she countered. "I just hope you don't have any plans on leaving me again."

"I already told you, I didn't leave - " he started to huff out, before turning and catching sight of her own grin.

"Dammit, Greene," he muttered, before trailing off into silence. She thought that was the end of the conversation, until out of nowhere, he practically choked out, "I missed you, too."

The feeling that spread through Beth's stomach kept her warm for the rest of the walk back to camp. And if Daryl noticed that she inched closer to him, he had the good grace not to mention it.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - I didn't like writing Beth as being so insecure, but it made the most sense, considering the ordeal she's just gone through. Even the strongest of us would be hard-pressed to deal with the things Beth has, but rest assured, our favorite blonde won't stay out of commission for long. And as always, enjoy!**

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><p>Camp turned out to be an old church in the middle of the woods. Why anybody would build a church here, Beth couldn't say, but somebody had erected wooden barricades around the doors that already had a few walkers impaled on them, and the building looked sturdy enough to serve as a temporary base.<p>

"They're inside," Daryl informed her unnecessarily.

She was so anxious, she felt like she could hurl at any moment. Gods, what would they think of her? Dumb, stupid, defenseless Beth. Got herself captured, messed up their rescue, got Tyreese killed...

She didn't even know who was still alive. She was afraid to ask, since she didn't remember seeing Maggie or Glenn at the hospital.

Her fingers began to tap against her leg, a tic born from countless years of playing the piano. Even if they were alive, they would all hate her. She was sure of it. After all, they had every right to, especially Sasha. How would she ever be able to face her? There was no explanation good enough, no apology she could give, that would even come close to making up for the fact that she had gotten her brother killed.

"Relax, girl," Daryl commented. "You're making me nervous."

She clenched her hand into a fist, and bit down on her bottom lip. She didnt know what sort of welcome would be waiting for her, but as they manoeuvred around the barricades and onto the stoop, she took some small comfort in the fact that Daryl was standing next to her.

Daryl reached up and rapped on the door three times in quick succession. The door opened, revealing the ever-suspicious face of Rick. Upon seeing who was there, he nodded, and swung the door open to allow them entrance.

Beth scanned the inside of the church, and locked eyes with someone who she never thought she would ever see again.

They ran into each other's arms, and Beth felt the tears fall from her sister's face. Her own were quick to follow.

"Oh god, when I saw Daryl carrying you out of the hospital, I was so sure you were dead! He said you were alive, that you were just unconscious, but when you didn't wake up, I was so worried!" Maggie rambled hysterically. "And now you're here and alive and I just... I just..."

Beth stood in shock as Maggie literally broke down in her arms. Beth had been expecting the very worst. She had expected for everyone she loved to be dead, and for the survivors to hate her for what she had done. But as she gently shushed Maggie and stroked her back comfortingly, she looked around, and was almost floored by what she saw.

Glenn was standing off to the side, watching the scene with a small smile on his face. He nodded encouragingly at Beth when they made eye contact. Noah sat at a church bench, looking awkward and out of place, but clearly happy to see that she had woken up. Next to him were Carl and Michonne. Michonne was unreadable as always, but Carl gave her a wide, beaming grin.

And then right next to Carl, making a fuss about being ignored, was the most precious sight she had seen in a good, long while.

"Dear lord," Beth whispered in wonder. "Judith..."

Maggie took a few long sniffles, and stepped back. Noticing where Beth's attention was focused, she gave a watery smile. "Carol and Tyreese saved her, after the prison fell."

"No," interjected Carol, who was sitting in her wheechair near the back of the church, next to Sasha and five strangers. Beth was surprised at the coldness in her voice. "Tyreese was the one who saved Judith after the prison fell. I only met up with them on the way to Terminus. It was Tyreese."

A grave silence descended upon the group. Beth swallowed, but the motion did nothing to stop the growing lump in her throat. Somehow, learning that her actions had caused the death of the man who saved Judith, made everything infinitely worse.

She didn't deserve their kindness. Not any of it. Not from Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, Carl, or even Noah. Because the blood of an innocent man, a good man, a man that had taken care of a baby during the apocalypse, was on her hands. She was a murderer.

Finally, she looked right at Sasha, and saw the truth of her crime laid bare in her empty, deadened eyes.

"I'm sorry," Beth attempted. Even as she said the words, she was starkly aware of their inadequacy. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for anyone to get hurt-"

"Tyreese isn't hurt, Beth," Sasha interrupted sharply. Her voice was wavering on the brink of hysteria, which only served to heighten the tension in the room. "He's dead. You took him away from us, away from me, and for what? For what?! For him?" She cried, gesturing wildly towards Noah.

"Tyreese knew the risks of trying to negotiate with the cops," Rick cut in. "Once Dawn changed the deal, nobody knew what was going to happen next. It could have just as easily been you or me that died today. Hell, it could have easily been all of us, if we hadn't gotten the drop and started shooting first. We're lucky that this many of us survived, as it is."

"Lucky?" Sasha echoed disbelievingly. "You think we we're lucky? The way I see it, the only lucky one is little miss sunshine and scissors over there! She has her sister and brother-in-law and now her little crippled boy toy, and what do I have Rick? I have nothing! NOTHING!"

"Careful," Daryl warned. "It might've been her fault things got hairy, but she wasn't the one who pulled the trigger."

"I might as well have," Beth spoke up. Daryl looked like he was about to argue, but she cut him off. "No, don't defend me. She's right. I was an idiot, and what I did was unforgivable."

She turned, and looked Sasha directly in the eye. Beth knew what she needed to do.

She walked forward, and she felt every eye in the room trained on her movement. When she got right in front of Sasha, she stopped, and slowly reached for the pistol that was hanging in Sasha's front holster. Sasha's gaze was practically burning into hers, but she made no move to stop her.

Beth took the gun, and spun it so the barrel was pointing right against her forehead.

"Beth!' she heard her sister exclaim, but she was far past that now. Her entire world was composed of her and Sasha, and the palpable tension hanging in the air.

"Shoot me," Beth said plainly. She grabbed Sasha's hand, and placed it firmly on the handle. "Shoot me. It's what I wanted in the first place. I wanted to die taking down the villain, so that my death might actually mean something. I wanted to die a saviour, a hero, instead of just another damsel," Beth tried to explain. She had broken down into tears again, but she did her best to keep her voice firm. "People like you, and Tyreese, you don't understand, what it's like to feel weak. What it's like to feel helpless. For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to sacrifice myself to save someone else, instead of being the one needing saving. All I wanted was for my death to mean something, but I couldn't even have that! All I did was get more people killed! So shoot me! Give me what I want, dammit! Shoot me!"

Sasha had started crying herself, and the gun wobbled dangerously in the air.

"Dammit, what are you waiting for?" Beth sobbed out. "You think I want to keep living, knowing what I've done? You think I want to struggle, day after day, living with the guilt, knowing that every moment of happiness I have is undeserved? Fucking shoot me! Just fucking do it! Shoot me! SHOOT ME!"

Sasha got a wild look in her eyes, and for a second, Beth was sure that she was going to do it.

But then the gun clattered to the ground, and Sasha ran out of the church before anyone could think to stop her. The open door swung ominously in the wind, swaying back and forth on its hinges. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Finally, Rick broke the spell of stunned silence by moving forward and closing the door in the face of a snarling impaled walker.

"She'll come back," Rick said to nobody in particular. "Just give her some time to think things through."

"What if she doesn't?" Beth whispered brokenly.

"Then it'll be her choice, and it won't have anything to do with you," Rick answered sternly. "I meant what I said earlier. It wasn't your fault, none of this is your fault."

Beth nodded absently, but she didn't believe a word he said.

Rick seemed to realize that she was practically comatose, so he simply sighed and turned towards Maggie. "Take her to the office, lay her down for a bit. See if you can scrounge up some spare clothes, hers are soaked through."

Was she still wet? Funny, she had forgotten.

"And Daryl, that bullet wound could do with some disinfecting, and maybe a bandage."

"I'm on it," Daryl agreed.

"I think I have some spare blankets, stored in the closet," piped in one of the strangers, who by the looks of him, was some sort of preacher.

Beth could do nothing but stand woodenly as people all around her made arrangements to help take care of her. Once again, she was back to being the weak one, the one people needed to help. She would have cried, but she was all out of tears.

"C'mon Bethy, follow me," her sister urged, grabbing her hand and trying to lead her away.

Beth gave no indication that she had even heard her. What was wrong with everyone? Couldn't they see that she had ruined everything? Couldn't they tell that she was dead weight?

Maggie sent a pleading look towards Daryl, who without further ado, scooped her up into her arms.

Beth gave a bark of laughter, which trailed off into hysterical giggles, earning her concerned glances from everyone around.

She couldn't help it, though. It was too hilarious. She literally was so useless, she had to be carried in Daryl's arms just so they could lay her down and waste more medical supplies trying to heal her. It really was too much.

"I think she's in shock," Glenn stated. "Or her head wound might be worse than we thought."

Beth just laughed harder. Of course, Glenn would make even more excuses for her! Of course!

"What should we do?" Maggie asked worriedly.

"Exactly what I said," instructed Rick. "Lay her down, take a look at the wound, try and let her sleep it off."

Maggie and Daryl nodded, and she felt Daryl sway as he carried her to the office.

"She hardly weighs anything, they must've starved her at that place," Daryl muttered in a low voice so only Maggie could hear.

No Daryl, I actually starved myself because eating food might have indebted me enough to justify them raping me. Oh, if only they knew. Only Noah knew. Only Noah understood.

Daryl laid her gently down onto a red leather couch. Beth turned, and saw Noah framed in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Daryl asked rather aggressively.

"I want to help," Noah insisted.

"It'd help if you stayed out of the way," Daryl stated firmly.

"I don't think so. I've been mending cop uniforms for the past few months. You won't find anybody better at stitching than me," Noah asserted.

"Fabric ain't the same as flesh," Daryl countered. "I'm the one that's gonna sew her up, and you best get the hell out of here before - "

"He can stay," Beth interrupted. Her voice sounded even weaker than she felt, but Noah was exactly who she needed right now. "I want him to stay."

Daryl fumed for a few seconds, but said no more. Noah gave her a grateful smile, and settled himself down on the chair adjacent to the couch. Daryl made himself busy by bustling around and collecting the supplies with Maggie.

There was a few moments of silence, and Beth took the opportunity to snuggle deeper into the couch.

"Seeing you stab Dawn might have been the most badass thing I've ever seen in my life," Noah said suddenly. His smile was almost mischievous. "Hot-headed and reckless, of course. But still completely fricken awesome. You should have seen the look on her face!"

He chortled, and Beth couldn't stop the small smile that crept up on her.

"I know you feel responsible for what happened, but know this," Noah continued. "Whatever bullshit they tried to tell us about being weak and helpless is just that - bullshit. I've seen dozens of people go into Grady and get broken down by Dawn's manipulation, but not you. You're the only one who ever tried to escape. Hell, you're the one who finally killed the bitch! And that makes you the strongest person I know."

Noah was a better friend than she could have ever hoped to find in a place like Grady. Beth felt a rush of gratitude so intense, she wished she could reach forward and hug him. But her body felt like lead, and the idea of moving seemed like far too much effort.

Instead, she settled for a yawn and a smile. "Thank you, Noah. For everything."

"No Beth," he said sincerely. "Thank you. You might not have died doing it, but you did save me. Twice, actually. So calm down and get some rest. Things will be better in the morning."

"You promise?" Beth asked.

"I promise."

Daryl used the lull in the conversation to take the opportunity to lay some blankets on her. Beth noticed that his hands seemed to linger on her longer than usual, and wondered if it was simply her imagination. Still, even as bundled as she was, she savored the contact, and the warmth that came with it.

"Open wide," Daryl instructed, and so deep was her trust, her mouth opened up without a second thought.

He popped a pill inside, and handed her a glass of water.

"Swallow," he instructed again. She swallowed, and cringed at the bitter taste of the pill.

"What did you give her?" Maggie asked curiously.

"Oxycodone," he answered with a shrug. "Should knock her out long enough to patch her up."

Beth knew for a fact they didn't have any oxycodone at Grady - they only had the IV form of dilaudid. Which meant that it had to have come from Daryl's own personal stash. Even during the prison epidemic, when people had been dying left and right, he hadn't been willing to part with Merle's old pills. He had held onto them so long, most people had probably forgot he had them.

So the question was, if he valued them so much, why would he waste one on her, when she didn't even need it all that much?

Beth gave another massive yawn. She would worry about it tomorrow. She was just so sleepy...


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - Hurray, another chapter! This will be the last one at the church. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Beth's eyes fluttered open in the dead of night.<p>

She quickly figured out the cause. She was pouring sweat, due to both the bundle of blankets she was wrapped in, and the body heat emanating from the person nestled against her on the couch. It was Maggie, who must have snuggled in beside her while she was sleeping. Her sister had a serene smile on her face, and was thankfully still sound asleep.

It was a tradition that started back when they were children, before the world turned to shit. When one of them got upset, or after they had a fight, they would sneak into each others beds. The idea was that when they woke up, they would see each other, and know that there was somebody in the world who loved them no matter what.

Beth was touched by the gesture, but her body was way too hot to be comfortable. She began to maneuver out of the covers as quietly as possible, mindful of the fact that a good night's sleep was a rarity these days, and one that she didn't want to take away from her sister.

While she slowly extricated her arms, she took the time to survey the room. She saw Noah, passed out on the chair next to her. He had a thin line of drool trailing down to his shirt. She was happy that he had stayed.

Her eyes flitted around in the darkness, and she nearly jolted when she saw two chips of ice staring back at her.

Daryl. Of course Daryl had stayed, too. Even less surprising was that he was awake. Daryl never slept much, and when he did, he woke at the smallest of noises, his ears constantly primed to listen for danger. He was sprawled on top of a thin blanket on the ground, right in front of the couch.

Slowly, he lifted a finger to his lips, a universal signal to stay quiet. Beth almost huffed. Of course she would stay quiet.

Beth continued her slow escape, and felt a wash of relief when her foot finally edged free from between her sister's legs. She tumbled out of the couch and onto Daryl, who cushioned her fall with a silent oomph.

It took less than a second for her mind to go into overdrive at their close proximity. She was literally on top of him. His body was cold, and the sensation was delightfully refreshing to her overheated skin. Beth's hands could feel his rock hard muscles where they braced against his chest. Her head was nestled in the crook of his neck, but her hips and legs were off to the side, unfortunately bereft of contact. She felt a warmth, altogether different than the one she felt earlier, and wondered how Maggie and Noah could sleep through the buzzing noise ringing so loudly in her ears.

"Are you alright?" Daryl's mouth was right next to her ear, so close that she could feel the air leaving his lips as he spoke to her in the faintest of whispers.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Good. Go back to sleep," he murmured.

She almost laughed. He wanted her to sleep? Her mind was racing a mile a minute with the razor sharp awareness of him, his body, that she was touching. Still touching.

Beth felt his lips pull into a smile. Without warning, his arms came forward and lifted her up, and then gently placed her back down on her side next to him. He then turned and curled around her, one hand reaching over her stomach while the other he placed below their heads as a makeshift pillow.

In one smooth motion, he had cocooned her more thoroughly than the blankets ever could.

"Sleep," he breathed into her ear.

She felt another rush of warmth. Gods, Daryl was so close. He was spooning her from the waist up, but he had conspicuously not initiated contact where her raging hormones wanted him the most. Despite his rough upbringing, he was ever the gentleman. Either that, or he wanted to make sure she knew that this was simply a friend helping another friend. Whatever it was, she was damned sure enjoying it.

She wiggled a bit, trying to get comfortable. It was surprisingly easy. Even though this was uncharted territory for them, she relaxed into him as if cuddling together was the most natural thing in the world. The tension in her body melted away, and she marveled at the sensation.

Her breathing slowly evened out, and she noticed that his did as well. She felt herself getting drowsier, but fought it off as long as she could. She didn't know if she would ever get to be this close him again. Beth wanted to savor it while it lasted.

In the silence of the night, Beth could hear the faintest pulse of Daryl's heart beat. Thud thud, thud thud. It was a sweeter sound than any lullaby. It told her that yes, Daryl was alive, and he would always be there when she needed him, right there beside her.

Exactly where he belonged.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

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><p>The next morning was the first time Beth woke up like she normally did. Groggily, and thankfully no longer wet in any capacity. She was confused, though. Somehow, she had ended back up on the couch, and all the people who had stayed with her last night were gone.<p>

Beth had a moment of sheer panic. They wouldn't just leave without her, would they? Had they abandoned her?

"Daryl?" she called out. She stoop up shakily. Had Daryl left her, too?

"Daryl!" she called out again, louder this time.

She jolted when the door swung open, revealing Daryl with his crossbow primed for attack.

"What's wrong? What happened?" he asked immediately. His eyes scanned the room, as if searching for a threat to neutralize.

Beth's face flushed red. Of course he hadn't left her. She could even see the others through the open door. Christ, when had she gotten so insecure? He was waiting for her to respond, but she couldn't think of a suitable excuse.

Suddenly, a rasping snarl, followed by a loud thud, echoed through the silence. It was a walker, trying to break through the boarded up office window.

"I... there's a walker," she said lamely, but Daryl was already on the move.

"Here, I'll handle it," he said, accepting her explanation without question. He went to the window, which Beth realized no longer had any actual glass. It had probably been broken a long time ago. Daryl took out his knife, and expertly stabbed the walker through a gap in the boards, right through its skull.

Beth couldn't deny the humor. Rather than saved by the bell, she had been saved by the walker.

"There's a lot of 'em in this area," Daryl shrugged. "We've been meaning to leave, but we had to wait for you and Carol to get better."

"Well, I'm better!" Beth announced in her most chipper voice. "So let's get going!"

Daryl raised his eyebrows. "Not so fast. I think I'll be the judge of that."

He walked up to her, and began examining the gash on her head. He pressed down on a few places, and Beth did her best not to wince.

"Hmm," Daryl muttered. "Guess that kid is good for something, after all. He did a good job sewing you up."

"Who, Noah? I thought you were gonna do the stitches?" Beth asked.

"He could do 'em better," Daryl answered simply.

Beth was glad that Daryl could acknowledge when somebody might know more than him. He made the decision that was best for her, not the one that would sooth his own ego. It was one of the things Beth admired most about him.

Daryl's hand moved once more over the cut, this time more a caress than an examination. Beth's heart fluttered, and she wondered if Daryl had any idea what his touch did to her.

However, Maggie chose that moment to burst into the room.

"Beth! You're awake!" Maggie said cheerfully. If Beth had been the one touching Daryl, she would've jumped away, and thus instantly clued Maggie in on the fact that there was... something... going on between them. Lucky for her, Daryl was a lot sneakier. Either that, or he didn't see anything compromising about their position. Whatever he was thinking, he continued to touch and examine her head as if he hadn't already looked at her stitches.

Maggie bought it, and her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "How's she doing?" she asked Daryl, moving forward to take a look.

Daryl gave Beth the smallest of winks while Maggie's attention was on her cut, and then finally dropped his hand.

"Ask her yourself," he said blandly. Next thing Beth knew, he turned around and left the room.

Beth was a little taken aback at the abruptness of his exit, but Maggie just laughed. "Oh, don't mind him. He's been acting weird ever since Grady. But really Beth, how are you? Any memory loss? Dizziness? Fatigue?"

"Not at all," Beth smiled back. "I don't think I've ever felt better. Thanks for staying with me last night. It almost felt like old times."

Maggie beamed. "Anytime, Beth. But hey, if you're feeling better, do you think you're up for some introductions? I know Tara in particular is really excited to meet you."

"Sure," Beth agreed. "No time like the present. But afterwards, you and I have to talk. I wanna know everything that's happened."

Maggie's face darkened, but she still agreed. "Alright, Beth. But it's not a happy story. And you have to tell me what happened to you, too. "

"I don't think there are any happy stories these days," Beth said somberly. Seeing her sister get even sadder, Beth impulsively threw her arms around her and hugged her close. "But we're together now, and that's all that matters."

Maggie nodded. "You're right. You're absolutely right. But c'mon, let's go before I start crying again."

She had a valid point, so Beth followed her out the office door and into the main room of the church. It was a small enough building that one glance was all Beth needed to take note of all the people around her.

Sasha wasn't there, which meant she must have spent the night alone in the walker infested woods. Beth felt guilty she had caused so much pain, but she was more relieved that she didn't have to deal with it again so soon.

Rick, Carl, Michonne and Judith were all situated in their own little area. Carol, Daryl, and Noah were in the back speaking about something too quietly for her to hear. Glenn stood with the group that they approached, which consisted of two women, two men, and a priest.

"Yo!" greeted one of the women. "What's up? I'm Tara. And let me just say, any family of Maggie and Glenn's is cool in my books. So, me and you? We're friends now. Fist bump!"

Beth bemusedly extended her fist to bump against Tara's. "Nice to meet you. I'm Beth."

"Aww, look at her! She's so sweet," the other woman said to the red-headed man, who snorted in amusement. "I'm Rosita, and the big ginger lump over there is Abraham."

"Watch it," Abraham responded, but it lacked any real anger. Beth shook hands with both of them.

"And I'm Father Gabriel," the priest said. He seemed nice enough, but had a twitchiness about him that put Beth on edge. He simply waved his hand in greeting, so Beth lamely waved back.

"The electromagnetic radiation beamed by the Sun on to 1 square meter of Earth's atmosphere, perpendicular to the Sun and at the Earth's mean orbital distance, is approximately 1.36 kilowatts. This is otherwise known as the solar constant. But if I may be so bold as to say, the light from your smile puts the sun to shame. My name is Eugene, and I am very much pleased to make your acquaintance."

Well that was... awkward. Was this pudgy forty-something with a mullet really trying to flirt with her? From the not-so-subtle nudges Rosita and Abraham were giving each other, Beth could only surmise that he was.

"Woah, not cool, bro," interjected Tara. "Her sister's right there!"

"You're goddamned right I am," scowled Maggie. "Don't even think about it! Beth is off limits, and if I so much as-"

"Thanks, Maggie, but I can handle myself," she asserted, before rounding on Eugene. "And thanks, Eugene. It's nice to meet you too. But do me a favor, okay?"

Eugene nodded, his face flushing red in embarrassment. Poor guy, he probably didn't even realize how blatant his attempt was. Beth obviously wasn't interested in Eugene, but she couldn't stand by and let her sister make decisions for her.

"Don't try it again. I've been through a lot, and the last thing I need is more men trying to take advantage of me."

Eugene spluttered something about being sorry and not meaning it like that, but the entire thing was interrupted by Rick and Daryl approaching the group.

Daryl looked... sad? No, not sad. It was worse than that. He looked absolutely crestfallen, and refused to look her in the eyes.

Beth's protectiveness reared its head. What had upset him? Was it something to do with his conversation with Carol and Noah? There were too many people around right now, but the moment she got Daryl alone, she would hug him and comfort him until that horrible expression was forever wiped from his face.

"Daryl was just telling me that your wound is getting better," began Rick without preamble. "It's good to have you back with us."

Rick clasped arms with her, in an unexpected and rather thoughtful show of kindness.

"Still, how are you feeling?" Rick asked. He was the third person to ask her that today. "Do you think you're up to being on the move? We can stay here another day or two, but there are too many walkers to stay for much longer."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine," Beth assured him. "But what about Sasha? We can't leave without her."

"I forgot how much you were like your Dad. Not willing to leave anyone behind," Rick sighed. His brow crinkled into well-worn frown lines. "It's not a problem, she came back late last night. She's in the other room. Said she wanted to keep some distance between you and her, so try to respect that. I know you've been through a lot, but so has she."

Beth nodded. Of course she would respect it.

"Well that's all well and dandy, but in case you forgot, we don't have anywhere to go," informed Abraham bluntly. "Our vehicles are almost out of gas, and there's a giant herd blocking the road north. Way I see it, we're up shit creek without a paddle."

"But we've got guns, food, and medical supplies," Glenn pointed out. "That's more than we usually have. We could always go on foot."

"Carol should stay in the wheelchair for at least another few days," piped in Michonne, who had joined the group. In fact, now that it had turned from a meet and greet to planning their next move, everybody was starting to gather round. "I'm no doctor, but I once had a friend who got into a car accident and had internal bruising. Push too hard, and she could rupture something."

"I'll be fine," Carol stated, rolling herself into the fray. "As long as we stay on roads or flat land, there's no reason I can't keep up."

"What if we're attacked and need to scatter into the woods?" Rosita pointed out. "I'm all for leaving, but we should stay until we completely recover our strength."

"She's right," agreed Maggie. "Assuming we go north, we're gonna have to detour around that hoard. There isn't a flat path."

"Someone could carry her?" suggested Carl.

Carol raised her eyebrows. "There's no way I'm going to handicap the group like that. If someone is carrying me, it means they can't carry supplies, and they won't be able to defend themselves."

"We could make a litter?" Eugene suggested. "Get some support beams, some blankets, lash them together to allow for equal weight distribution..."

As the discussion devolved into a back and forth over the merits of a litter, Beth tuned them out. While it was nice to feel like she was part of the group again, there was one person Beth had yet to see. And it was perhaps the most important person of all.

While everyone was discussing the plans, Beth made her way over to where Judith was laying in her carrier. Upon seeing her, Judith burbled out happily, and raised her hands into the air. That was all the invitation Beth needed to pick her up and swing her into her arms. Judith cried out with more happy gibberish, and Beth cooed at her.

"Hey, Judith! Hey, Lil' Asskicker. Shh, it's okay. Look at you! Look at how big you've gotten! I'm back. I'm back, and I'm never leaving again. I promise," Beth vowed. She rocked Judith lightly, amazed at how much more she weighed than when she last held her. Her heart swelled. The world hadn't ended. Not yet. Not while there were still things as beautiful as the baby girl smiling up at her.

Suddenly, Beth's nerves pricked, and she somehow became aware of the fact that she was being watched. Sure enough, she turned, and saw that Daryl was practically drilling holes into her with his stare.

Well, that just wouldn't do. Beth smiled at him, and gestured for him to come over. Maybe they could talk now.

He flinched and looked away as if stricken.

What in the world...? What was wrong? Dammit, she had to find out soon. Because as wonderful as this moment was, she couldn't help but let her mind wander into the realm of fantasy. Of what it would be like, to have Daryl next to her, looking down at a baby of their own...

She mentally slammed the brakes on that train of thought. Gods no. What was she even thinking? Her and Daryl had never even kissed, and here she was, imagining them having kids! Christ, she was such an airhead. Such a hopeless romantic.

No, she had to take things one step at a time. First things first, she had to talk with him. Something had happened in the short period of time after she had woken up, and she was determined to find out what. But for now, she would settle with holding Judith as the background chatter of her family washed over her.

Things might not be perfect, but they were better than they usually were. And that was good enough for her.


End file.
